Inspired Truth Revealed
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This past week we have had a few things that shook us and could lead us to fear.
I think about the former President of the United States having his home invaded by gun-toting, jack-booted, government thugs on Monday.
If it could happen to him, a former president, a very influential billionaire with an army of lawyers, how much more likely it is that it will happen to US? — VERY!
Especially with 87,000 more IRS agents — apparently many of them (all of them?) with guns.
It is a horrible thing to have to fear your own government.
And yet that is the state of a nation far from God — a nation that hates God and will persecute its own citizens for taking a stand for God.
Immigrants may decide to stop coming when they realize it is no better here than in communist China, or Russia or any other 2-bit dictatorship of this world.
By the way, I am praying about starting a video teaching series next month on September 18 on Sunday nights called Prepare to Stand.
I will start with an amazing video called “Before the Wrath” — the company that owns the video has given us permission to show it.
Then the video teaching series, the videos are about 7-10 minutes long and are presented by Missionary Andrew Brunson who was held in a prison in Turkey for 2 years — all because of his faith in Jesus Christ.
Will you pray with me about presenting this?
I believe the church, and this church in particular needs this.
So, I think about our own government persecuting Bible-believing people and the churches they attend.
I also think about the house that exploded in Indiana.
3 people dead, homes destroyed, other homes very damaged and needing extensive repairs.
Of course I think about the Thursday afternoon shooting at the Primary school here in Union County.
The school my youngest granddaughter attends.
My son moved his family here to avoid such things.
And then, to top off the week, on Friday there was a road-rage incident at the Humane Society Thrift Store, just a quarter of a mile from the Primary school.
A man apparently so angry with another driver he started brandishing a firearm.
Tomorrow, I will be joining other pastors and ministers at the schools.
I know this is the Bible belt, but in 12 1/2 years I’ve NEVER received an invitation to come to the school to counsel and pray with teachers, administrators and staff.
This shooting has been a HUGE earthquake in the school system.
You may recall that almost 2 weeks ago I and 3 other ministers went to the school board, Headstart, MECHs, the primary school, elementary school, middle school and high school to pray for this new school year. Half-way between the elementary and middle school we stopped and prayed for bus drivers and the students that ride the buses.
Even though this year we contacted the superintendent and schools, we had fewer teachers than the year before.
At the high school, where we had no one last year, although Dr. Murphy, one of the Assistant Superintendents, was there, was where we had the largest group of teachers, staff and administrators. The principal , Mr. Hussion and one of the assistant principals, Mr. Womack, were there.
We asked if there was a special need they want us to pray about.
Mr. Hussion said, please pray that our students, teachers and staff will feel safe.
He said, “Last week there were a couple of bomb threats and has caused concern.”
He was talking about what you may have read in the paper.
Bomb threats against NGTC, at Clarksville and here in Blairsville.
Could you come tonight and pray for teachers, staff, administrators who are battling fear? Could you pray with me right right now?
So sure, there are lots of events that could cause our hearts terror and make it easy to live in fear, and believe me, the incidents I mentioned are just the tip of the iceberg of things that I could talk about that are going on in our world.
All of these things can cause fear, but as the Bible tells us:
Psalm 27:1–3 (NKJV) The LORD is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The LORD is the strength of my life; Of whom shall I be afraid? 2 When the wicked came against me To eat up my flesh, My enemies and foes, They stumbled and fell. 3 Though an army may encamp against me, My heart shall not fear; Though war may rise against me, In this I will be confident.
Did you see what I did there?
I turned to God’s Word — it is a place of encouragement, a place of confidence in a world gone mad.
When you have a Christian Worldview, that’s what you do.
You turn to God’s Word, the Bible. You take your stand in the truths of God’s Word.
You don’t waver. You don’t even flinch.
And you do so realizing, as you have no doubt heard, you may be the only Bible some people ever see or hear.
Is the Word of God inside of you so that when pressure comes against you the Bible rises up IN you and comes out of you?
Bible words of encouragement, comfort, edification.
Of course in that same Word we hear Jesus warn us about the times in which we live. Telling us:
Luke 21:33–36 (NASB95) “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away. 34 “[So] Be on guard, so that your hearts will not be weighted down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of life, and that day will not come on you suddenly like a trap; 35 for it will come upon all those who dwell on the face of all the earth. 36 “But keep on the alert at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are about to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.”
The Apostle Paul writing to the Thessalonica church 1 Thessalonians 5:2–6 (NASB95) For you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night. 3 While they are saying, “Peace and safety!” then destruction will come upon them suddenly like labor pains upon a woman with child, and they will not escape. 4 But you, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day would overtake you like a thief; 5 for you are all sons of light and sons of day. We are not of night nor of darkness; 6 so then let us not sleep as others do, but let us be alert and sober.
So, because we lean on, trust in and obey the Word of God we know that fear is NOT the right response to events — but being alert AT ALL TIMES, being serious — that is the RIGHT response.
If we are sober and alert we can hear the Bible reminding us:
That we live in a fallen world
A world that is about to end as Jesus comes for His Bride and God rains down His judgment on a world deserving His righteous judgment.
A world described in:
2 Timothy 3:1–5 (NKJV) But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: 2 For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, 4 traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. …
A world described by:
Romans 1:28–32 (NKJV) And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; 29 being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, 30 backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31 undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; 32 who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them.
This is a world where people have turned away from God.
As Romans 3:18 (NASB95) “THERE IS NO FEAR OF GOD BEFORE THEIR EYES.”
The reason a 64 year-old man can get so angry that he gets a gun and shoots another person’s vehicle at the Primary School is because we live in a country that has turned its back on God — and rolled out the red carpet for the devil.
The reason a man in a sleepy, mostly friendly, backwater community like Blairsville, gets out of his vehicle brandishing a gun is because we live in a nation without a fear of God, a nation that spurns the revelation of God’s truth in the Bible, a nation that is thus without any restraint.
When I was a young believer I only had access to the KJV of the Bible. It was all I knew.
Often in those days I heard the KJV of:
Proverbs 29:18 (AV) Where there is no vision, the people perish: …
It was only later as better translations came out, translations that speak in modern English (the English I happen to speak — Oh, you do too?), that I understood that verse better. That I understood it to say:
Proverbs 29:18 (NKJV) Where there is no [divine or supernatural] revelation, the people cast off restraint; …
We, as a nation, have:
Devalued God’s Word
More than that, many actively scoff at, reject and rebel against God’s Word
THAT is why we are dealing with a violent, lawless nation.
And it cannot get better unless we turn back to God’s Bible.
Until WE, God’s people, value it and recognize it for what it is:
GOD’s (not human-made, not the doctrine of a certain church), GOD’s Holy Word’s, both the Old and New Testaments, verbally inspired of God and are the revelation of God to man, the infallible, authoritative rule of faith and conduct.
God’s Word that:
Encourages
Edifies
Exhorts
Enlightens
AND
Empowers
It ...
Protects
Guides
Comforts
Heals
And leads us to and instructs us in the holiness that we MUST have to see God.
Hebrews 12:14 (NLT) Work at living in peace with everyone, and work at living a holy life, for those who are not holy will not see the Lord.
Our NATION can have a chance when GOD’S PEOPLE recognize what 2 Timothy:3-16-17 says (and this is our text this morning),
And it starts with US.
The church HAS to believe ...
Text: 2 Timothy 3:16-17 “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; 17 so that the man [or woman, or child or teenager] of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.”
2 Timothy 3:16–17 (The Message) Every part of Scripture is God-breathed and useful one way or another—showing us truth, exposing our rebellion, correcting our mistakes, training us to live God’s way. 17 Through the Word we are put together and shaped up for the tasks God has for us.
When the 2 Timothy 3:16 talks of the Bible being “inspired”
It is speaking of it being, as the Message translates it: literally God-breathed.
Nelson, P. C. (2009). Bible Doctrines: Discover Profound Truths for Everyday Living (Revised Edition, p. 14). Gospel Publishing House.
By the inspiration of the Scriptures we mean that:
As A. H. Strong said (he wrote the famous Strong’s concordance) :
[There was] divine influence on the minds of the writers of the Bible, in virtue of which their productions, apart from errors in transcription, and when rightly interpreted, together constitute an infallible rule of faith and practice.
We can clearly see the inspiration in that the Book Is the Product of One Master Mind.
Sixty-six books, written by about forty different writers, living at different places and in different environments during a period of sixteen hundred years; each, without being aware of it, contributing his essential part to make one whole; each adding to and making clear, but never contradicting what the rest wrote!
That is God-breathed!
It’s supernatural inspiration is shown through its Prophecies.
No one but Almighty God, who knows the end from the beginning, could reveal what is so minutely foretold by the prophets concerning individuals, cities, nations, and the world, but most minutely of all concerning the birth, ministry, message, death, and resurrection of Christ and His coming glory.
The Moral Standards of the Bible Prove It to Be the supernaturally inspired.
The teachings of the Bible constitute the highest moral standard known to man—a standard so high and holy that humans without divine aid can never reach it.
Some heathen religions have immoral gods, but the God of the Bible … can say, “Be holy, because I am holy” (1 Peter 1:16). Our Lord will never be satisfied until He has wrought His holiness in us, and we stand approved before Him, “without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish” (Ephesians 5:27). Such a standard is utterly beyond the comprehension of carnal man.
Divine Inspiration leads us to understand that the Bible Reveals the Only Way of Salvation.
ONLY the God who made us
who saw us fall into complete depravity and rebellion against Him.
Not just rebellion against Him — but rebellion against what is right for us, what gives peace, what preserves life!
We stupidly sin contrary to our own self-interests.
Only the God who REALLY know us can show us the way to forgiveness and cleansing from sin, and deliverance from evil habits and the powers of darkness.
In the Bible we see a Gospel, the Good News, that makes the way of Life so plain that the feeblest intellect can understand how to approach God, and the wisest of earth cannot fathom the depth of God’s wisdom as seen in the divine plan of salvation.
If they are honest, if they engage their God-given brain even the World Recognizes the Book, the Bible as inspired by God.
All thinking people put the Bible in a class by itself, and recognize its supernatural character.
It is the Book (Capital B), as its very name from the Greek signifies.
It has been translated into more languages than any other writing, and is by far the most widely circulated book in the world, and the best seller. The earth’s greatest sages bow in reverence before it.
And certainly By Its Fruits We Know the Book Is Divinely breathed by God.
Wherever the Bible has been read, preached, and obeyed, it has transformed individuals and whole nations. Its fruits are always good and wholesome.
The neglect of the Word of God means sin, suffering, and sorrow.
Are You A Person of the Book?
All of these things about the Bible leads us to a decision.
Will we, by faith
(and really all the evidence means we don’t have to have a lot of faith — just the willingness to see the truth)
Will we, by faith
Accept God’s Word for what it is?
The revelation of objective truth.
The revelation of how God wants us to live.
The revelation that we need a Savior who is Jesus Christ the Lord?
Do we let it...
teach us,
reprove and correct us?
Do we let the Bible for train us in righteousness; so that we may be adequate, equipped for every good work?”
If you have never turned to God’s Word, I would like to invite you to do so right now.
Make a conscious, intentional decision to turn to God’s Word.
In the process turning to the Author of the Bible.
Repenting of your sins.
Surrendering to Jesus to guide EVERY part of your life.
The old saying is true: If Jesus is not Lord OF ALL, He is not Lord AT all.
As the worship team comes …
You say, pastor, I did that years ago.
But what about today?
Are the events you see taking place all around you causing you to be terrified?
To live in fear?
Turn to Jesus — step out of your seat, come forward and let’s meet with Jesus.
Accept the peace He offers.
Come to the river of life.